Line-switch.



J. G. ROBERTS.

LINE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-10.1913.

1, 143,998. Patented June 22, 1915.

A //7 ven/or: John a Robe/f5.

UNITED sra-tfrns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. ROBERTS, 0F DOBBS FERRY, NEW YQRK, 'ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIQN OF ILLINOIS.

I LINE-SWITCH.

1 Application filed May 10, 1913. serial No. 766,772.

and State of New York, have invented a.

certain new, and useful Improvement in Line-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switch mechanlsms, and is adapted for use wherever a plurality of contact sets are required to be "ariously operated. It is especially useful for selectively connecting any one or more of a group of lines, such as telephone lines, to .any one or more of another group, usually a smaller group, of

' nate complex movements of the elements and thereby to simplify and quicken the operation of the contact sets, to so lace the contacts that they are easily access ble, to render the mechanism reliable and durable, andto reduce its cost of construction and maintenance.

Sets of intersecting bars, one for each mcoming line and one for each outgoing line, v are provided, together. with co'ntact sets lo cated at or adjacent to intersections of the bars, any contact set being capable of operation upon conjoint displacement of the two bars which intersect inthe locality ofthat contact set. i

The contact elements and bars may be of various shapes and kinds, but in the particular structure shown, which is preferred, the contact elements are flat springs and 'the bars are shafts,-and the latter are equipped with arms,-those associated with the outgoing lines being flexible, and those associated with the incoming lines rigid. These arms extend toward the free end of the contact springs and the latter preferably extend by the bars so as to locate the contacts at their free ends on the side of the bars opposite the frame. By this construction ready access to the contacts and arms is secured. The structure and arrangement of these arms are such that upon operation of any contact set, that set will be maintained operated as long as the incoming line bar remains displaced, and notwithstanding the restoration of the outgoing line bar. The flexible arm of the latter is held between the rigid arm of the former and the contact set by means of a detent or latch provided for that purpose.

It is one of the features of thisinvention' to provide a locking device common to a Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 22, 1915. I

group of outgoing line bars by means of which some one of the bars is normally held dlsplaced or preselected-to prepare the cor responding outgoing line for connection with any incoming line. Thereafter upon displaeementof any incoming line bar the contact set at the intersection of thesebars is operated by a single movement of the incoming line bar. Reverse order ofdisplacemom: will not result in the operation of any contact set. Therefore during continued dis placement of any incoming line bar the subsequent displacement of an intersecting outgoing-line bar has no effect except to prepare the corresponding outgoing line fo subsequent connection to any other incomi line.

, Electromagnets may be used and. shown for the purpose of displacing-tin and in connection with, the outgoin bars a common latchingdevice is pro .ed to hold these .bars displaced without the necessity of continued flow of current in their actuating magnets.

One specific embodiment of the inventnt n ,will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

.Figure 1 is a perspective View of the switch with parts omitted; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the supporting frame; Fig. 3 is a view looking atthe right end of.- the plate 31 showing the armature.

28 partially in section.

Referring to the drawings, 1, 1, 1 are ip; coming line shafts extending horizontally, and 2, 2, 2 intersecting outgoing line shafts extending vertically. At or adjacent each intersecting point is a set of contact springs 3, '4, 5 and 6; 3 and 4 being terminals of an incoming line 7, -8, and 5 and 6' of an outgoing line 9 andlO. These spring terminals are mounted rigidly in a frame 11 at one side of the intersecting shafts, the springs 3 and 4 being connected" in multiple with like-springs of other contact sets in the same horizontal row by means of plates 12, 13, of which these springs are an integral part or with which they are in contact. The outgoing line springs -5, .6 are likewise connected tact springs held therein rigidly but insulated from one another except for the multiple connections before mentioned.

Surrounding the body of the frame are supporting strips 16 (indicated in part by dotted lines in Fig. 1) provided with holes to form bearings for the shaft and formed in a manner to'be presently described for supporting the electromagnets and their operating parts. Electromagnets 17 (one only being shown in full) are placed in vertical alinement along the side strip 16, while electromagnets 18 (also one only shown) are similarly arranged in horizontal alinement along the bottom strip 16. Each magnet may have an individual set of contact springs such as the set 19 for the magnet 17 and set 20 for the magnet 18.

Each of the shafts 1 extends through" to the outside of the side strip 16 and carries an armature 21 for the magnet 17. An extension 22 of this armature carries a roller 23 which is in position to engage the set of contact springs 19 when the armature is attracted. Fastened at -one end to this extension 22and at the other end to an extension 24 of the strip 16 through an opening 25 therein is a retractile spring 26 which normally holds the armature 21 away from the magnet core and against a stop formed by the inturned part '27 of the extension 24.

The set of springs 19 may perform any desired function in connection with the operation of the magnet 17,'bu-t forms no part of'the invention herein claimed.

The lower end of each shaft 2 carries an armature 28 for the magnet 18. Pointing outwardly and downwardly from the arma ture 28 is a projection 29 which, when the armature is attracted, engages the upwardly inclined edge 30 of a latching device, shown as a rocking plate 31, and i in turn engaged by the latter to hold the armature and its shaft 2 in displaced position. Extending upwardly from the armature 28 is a pin 32 to which one end of a retractile spring 33' is attached, the other end thereof being attached to a U-shaped strip 34 secured at each end' to the side strips 16. A. pivotv screw 35, one at each end of the strip 34,

engages the ends of the rocking plate 31 and r a 'retractile spring 36, for'the latter is secured at one end to a pin 37 in the side strip 16 and fastened at its other end to an extension 38 which projects through an opening in an arm of the U-shaped strip 34.

The end of the pin 32 plays between two arms of an L-shaped wedge 39 pivoted and secured by a screw 40 to an ann 41 of the spool-head of the magnet 18. This wedge carries an insulating button 42 positioned beneath an inclined end of one of the springs of the contact set 20. In the position shown, the armature 28 is retracted, against a back stop pin 55 in the lower strip 16, the pin 32 is in engagement with the short arm of the wedge and the button 42 isout of engagement with the contact springs 20 which are now in contact with each other. Vhen,

ing device, the shaft 2 remains displaced and although there is a slight retractory movement of the armature when the circuit is opened, the wedge 39 retains its advanced position due to friction between the button 42 and the spring, thus preventing the ci rcuit 44 from being closed again at the contact set 20.

The release of the latched armature and shaft 2 is subsequently effected by displacement of the rocking plate 31 whenever any other magnet 18 is energized. lVhen this occurs the projection 29 of the last operated magnet engages the inclined surface 30, tilting the plate 31 and releasing the first operated armature and shaft, the last operated armature andshaft becoming locked in the same manner as the other one had been. The return movement of the armature 28 carries the pin 32 against the short arm of the wedge 39, withdrawing the latter from the contact set 20 and allowing the circuit 44 to be closed again at that point ready for a subsequent operation by closure of contact 43.

For operating each contact set 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the intersections of the shaft, there is provided two arms, one a flexible arm in the form of a spring wire 45 carried by shaft 2, and a rigid arm 46 attached to shaft 1. The arm 45 is protectedfrom displacement by a rigid arm 47, the latter being directly attached to the shaft 2 and the former atjcess 5O in'the arm, 46. The'contact set 3,

4, 5, 6 carries a headed insulating plug 51 inserted in a hole near the end of spring 3, the head 52 resting on that spring and the lower end of the plug resting on spring 4.

The magnets 17 and 18 may be controlled in any desired manner as by the simple circu'it 44, before mentioned, for themagnet- 18 and a circuit 53, including a contact 54 for the magnet 17.

In the operation of this switch mechanism some one of the outgoing lines, such as 9, 10, will be prepared for subsequent connection to any incomin line by the closure of contact 43 in the circuit 44 of one of the magnets 18. The latter having attracted its armature and latched the armature and its shaft 2 in angular displacement in the manner before described, each of the flexible arms 45 carried by this shaft will be swung to the left, bringing its half looped end 49 directly over the head 52 of a contact set and beneath the rigid arm 46 of a shaft 1. The subsequent closure of contact 54 in the circuit 53 of a magnet 17 will rockthe corresponding shaft 1, causing the rigid arm 46 to descend upon the end 49 of the flexible arm 45, pushing the latter against the head 52 of the contact set located at the intersection of the two shafts 1 and 2 which have been displaced. In this manner the springs 3, 4 are brought into contact with springs 5, 6, respectively, and the connection is established between the incoming line 7, 8 and the outgoing line 9, 10, the complete connection for each side being as follows: For one side, wire 7 plate 12, spring 3, spring 5, wire 14, and wire 9; and for the other side, wire 8, plate 13, spring 4, spring 6, wire 15 and wire 10.

As soon as the connection just described is made, the previously displaced outgoing line shaft 2 may be released and another shaft 2 displaced to prepare another outgoing line in condition for subsequent conneotion to any incoming line. The end 49 of the flexible arm-45 fits snugly between the arm 46 and the head 52 of the contact set, and is held there by the recessed arm 46 when the shaft 2 is restored. In this manner the contact set is maintained operated merely by the continued displacement of the incoming line shaft 1. It will be noted also that while the incoming line shaft is displaced, the subsequent displacement of any outgoing line shaft 2 will-not 'result in operation of the contact set located at the in tersection of those shafts, for the reason that the end 49 of the flexible arms 45 will not enter between the arm 46 and the head52, but will strike the edge of the arm 46 and be held in that position until the line shaft 1 is restored.

I claim:

1. In a switch, the combination of sets of intersecting bars, sets of spring contacts rigidly mounted in a frame at one side of said bars with their free ends projecting by said bars to the other side thereof, and means effective upon con'oint displacement of two intersecting bars or operating the adjacent contact set.

2. In a switch, the combination of sets of intersecting bars, sets of contact springs at the intersections of said bars, a frame at .one side of said bars in which said springs are mounted, the free ends of the springs extending by the bars to the other side thereof, and arms carried by said bars extending toward the said free ends of the springs and effecting upon displacement of two intersecting bars the operation of a set of springs.

3. In a switch, the combination of sets of intersecting bars, contact sets at the intersections of said bars, a common locking device for holding any bar of one of the sets normally displaced, means for displacing any bar of the other set, and means effective upon such conjoint displacement for operatlng a contact set.

4. In a switch, the combination of sets of intersecting bars, contact sets at the intersections of said bars, a common locking device for holding. any bar of one of the sets normally displaced, means for displacing any bar of the other set, means effective .upon such conjoint displacement for operating a contact set, said locking device being adapted upon subsequent displacement of another bar to release the normally displaced bar, and a detent for maintaining said contact set operated upon continued dis placement of the said bar of the other set notwithstanding the restoration of said normally displaced bar.

5. In a switch, the combination of sets of intersecting bars, contact sets at the intersections of said bars, a common locking device for holding any bar of one of the sets normally displaced, a displacing electromagnet for said bar, a contact device actuated by said electromagnet and adapted to open and held open its circuit when the said bar is displaced and locked, means for displacing any bar of the other set, and means effective upon the displacement of the lastmentionedbar for operating the contact set at the intersection of said bar and said normally displaced bar.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of May A. D., 1913.

C. P. Sornn, W. F. HOFFMAN. 

